What Needs Updating (And How We’re Doing It)
The Manifesto 🌓 6 January 2025
With a clear plan for revisiting older titles, building on recent growth, and launching exciting new projects, 2025 is about cohesion. The focus is on creating a catalog that is polished, consistent, and ready for the future. Thanks to The Simple Approach, finalized branding, logos, and trade dress, and your incredible support, we are in a stronger position than ever to move forward.
Every newsletter will continue to include a Master Plan update to keep you informed on what is in progress and what is next. We are refreshing core books one line at a time, starting with bestsellers like heroic fantasy and dark academia. Full roleplaying games take center stage this year, with definitive editions of DoubleZero, all-in-one versions of the Opera games, and new releases like Ghostlight, The Island of Doctor Moreau, and Red Harvest leading the way.
What is different now? With The Simple Approach and a unified brand identity firmly in place, there is no need to juggle logistics. This foundation allows me to dedicate more time to consistency and quality across the catalog. Every book is being refined to meet the same high standards, ensuring everything feels part of a cohesive whole.
Your support has made this growth possible. Word of mouth, glowing reviews, and five-star ratings have brought in new fans and increased sales. That means less time grinding to stay afloat and more time crafting projects you love. I cannot thank you enough for being part of this journey. The progress we made in 2024 was incredible, and thanks to you, 2025 promises to be even more impactful.
This year’s mandate is simple: quality over deadlines. Master Plan updates will keep you in the loop, but the priority is meeting a quality benchmark rather than rushing to meet arbitrary dates. Projects will be done when they are ready, and they will be done right.
I am also working smarter. Better data and feedback from trusted advisors are guiding decisions, and outsourcing parts of the business lets me focus more on creating. This shift means sharper content, better projects, and more time for the work that excites both of us.
This is not about fixing what is broken. It is about refining what is already great and bringing everything together with a cohesive vision. With a clear plan, exciting projects on the horizon, and your ongoing support, I am confident 2025 will be transformative. Let’s see what we can create together.
I hope you’re doing well today.
Berin
Latest Releases
Here’s what’s new in the Lightspress shop this week!
Dashiell Hammett’s Red Harvest Roleplaying Game
Welcome to a roleplaying experience where the grit of Dashiell Hammett’s original noir classic collides with the power of your imagination. Inspired by the novel Red Harvest, this sourcebook immerses you in a seedy world of corruption, double-dealing, and moral ambiguity. The book captures the tone and atmosphere of the novel, bringing Personville (or “Poisonville,” if you prefer) to life as a brutal playground for character-driven drama. Read More
Ghostlight: Dark Academia Roleplaying
Welcome to Manfred College of the Arts, a private institution with more secrets than an episode of daytime television. Imagine a sprawling Gothic estate, built with old money and even older grudges, now serving as an elite arts school in the sleepy coastal town of Heathcliff, Massachusetts. Think you’ve seen it all before? Not quite. Manfred’s reputation for producing top-tier talent in theater, fine arts, and music barely scratches the surface of what’s really going on behind those ivy-covered walls. If surviving cutthroat auditions wasn’t stressful enough, just wait until you realize the place is also crawling with ghosts, witches, and a few things that don’t have names. Welcome to Ghostlight, where nailing that audition might be the least of your concerns. Read More
H. G. Wells' Island of Doctor Moreau Roleplaying Game
H. G. Wells' Island of Doctor Moreau Roleplaying Game puts you right in the heart of the eerie, twisted world envisioned by one of science fiction's greatest minds. It's a deep dive into human nature, morality, and the blurred lines between science and madness. Here, you not only play a character, you become part of a living, breathing story that adapts and evolves with every choice you make. Read More
Master Plan Update
The first proofs for our print books are on their way. These will be available on Amazon, but only after I’ve had a chance to hold them, scrutinize them, and ensure they meet my standards. We’ve been here before, and I wasn’t thrilled with the results. This time, I’m not getting anyone’s hopes up, mine included, until I’m fully satisfied with the quality. When they’re ready, you’ll know.
I debated giving you a full list of every title I’m juggling, both new and refreshed, but honestly, just thinking about it makes me a little dizzy. Instead, here’s the immediate lineup, more or less in the order I’m tackling them.
Roleplaying Games
Here’s what’s in the pipeline. If a game you’re looking for isn’t on this list, don’t worry, it’ll appear in a future update once these are out the door.
DoubleZero: The final edits are nearly done, and this one should be out this week.
William Seabrook’s The Magic Island Roleplaying Game: Zombies. Enough said.
Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front Roleplaying Game: It’s about World War I, and the book and film were banned by the Nazis. If that’s not reason enough to love it, I don’t know what is.
William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury Roleplaying Game: This might be the stupidest idea I’ve ever had, but isn’t experimentation what makes this hobby fun?
Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms Roleplaying Game: Yes, Hemingway was tough as nails, but this is a romance novel set during wartime. There’s so much roleplaying potential here, trust me.
Kangaroo: A Punk Fairytale Roleplaying Game: This is an original concept I came up with over Christmas. Imagine dirty and dangerous New York City in the 1970s as magical realism. It’s wild, but it works.
Sourcebooks
Refreshing and filling out existing lines is next. I’ll work on one genre at a time, treating these as schedule-fillers or breathers. Some days, I need a break from big projects, and diving into sourcebooks lets me keep things fresh while still making progress.
For now, sourcebooks will fall into two categories:
Narrative Handbooks: These will replace the Foragers Guild and DoubleZero profession guides. Think Fighter, Wizard, Secret Agent, Detective, and similar character types. They’ll be compatible with The Simple Approach, work as system-agnostic tools, and include journaling mechanics for stand-alone use.
Genre Series: These will either replace or complement existing books like the experimental Lux Adversaria papers. For each genre, I’m planning titles like:
[Genre]: Understanding the Genre
[Genre] Characters Narrative Handbook
[Genre] World Creation Guide
[Genre] Faction Compendium
[Genre] Equipment Manual (if the genre calls for it)
[Genre] Adventure Workbook
Based on 2024 sales, I’ll start with traditional fantasy, cozy fantasy, and dark academia. Once those are done, we’ll move on to the rest of the genres we already cover before considering new ones. One bite at a time.
This is a big list, and there’s a lot ahead. Your support makes all of this possible, so thank you for sticking with me. I can’t wait to share what’s coming next.
Thank You
Thank you for standing with us as we push forward. With each step, your support fuels our efforts, helping us overcome challenges and stay on course. Together, we’re building something unique, bringing ideas to life with resilience and determination. We appreciate every bit of your support.
This month’s discount code is UPDATE2025 . Use it to enjoy 20% off your orders at the Lightspress shop until the next issue of the newsletter come out.
Our next issue will be released on the day of the next full moon. See you then, and as always, I hope you’re doing well today.
The Manifesto is the official source for news on upcoming releases, articles and opinions, and assorted ramblings on our games and our philosophy of roleplaying. New issues are released four times a month, on the new moon, first quarter moon, full moon, and last quarter moon, with special quarterly issues for each equinox and solstice. Stay connected and subscribe to The Manifesto now!
Lightspress promotes a simple approach to roleplaying, focusing on the utility and value of the content rather than flashy production. We strategically employ visual elements to amplify the message conveyed by the text, allowing us to create powerful and affordable toolkits. Remember, the true essence of the roleplaying experience lies not within the pages of a book, but in the creativity and collaboration fostered around your tabletop.
